Even thinking or talking of any remedies how to grapple with the spiraling and uncontrollable price hike is a very tough ask, what to talk of actually implementing fanciful ideas and solutions for the rocketing prices indeed! While inflation is round-the-year phenomenon from man in the street to elitist or opulent gossiping about it as fashion, in reality it is the primary question of sinking pulses amid soaring and irrepressible prices from dawn to dusk laborer to the common man!
Forgetting dinner luxury dishes of poultry, mutton or beef and iftari fancied bananas, lemons, melons or water melons, a poor man cannot even afford the cheapest meal for two days: ata at Rs 300 for five kg with cheapest dal (masoor) at Rs 150 per kg, handful of ghee at Rs 100 per kg, forgetting tomato, onion, mint and coriander. If the poor daily wage earner has to feed 5-6 family members, he is left in a lurch unable to meet vagaries of joblessness and the lockdown!
The picture of fruit prices is not rosier even for those a little better than the poorest. For example, apple (red) is being sold at Rs 280 per kg. Banana, an essential ingredient of the Iftaar, is being sold at Rs 150 per dozen. However, the government price list for banana is Rs 95 for one dozen. Prices of fruits per kg like guava are Rs 200 instead of Rs 84, melon Rs 120 instead of Rs 60, watermelon Rs 85 instead of Rs 50 and lemon Rs 400 plus instead of Rs 150.
Fruits at distant sabzi mandis cost a little better but going far makes it more costly. For the lonely weak sick and old couple unable to walk fruits from branded stores are depleting and heart-sinking with just two examples of an unbearable price-hike: Bananas sky-rocketing at Rs. 150 per dozen and Rock Melons soaring at Rs. 200 per dozen! Delivery charges, or for that matter, punishment of not being able to walk physically is Rs. 100! Remarkable fate of the incapacitated but so-called respectable senior citizens of our society!
Not talking of vegetables for the affluent or the opulent deviating from the luxury of mutton, chicken, veil, fish, pizzas and pastas merely for a fashionable change; but talking of the poor common man wishing for and desirous of such simple vegetables like onion, potato, tomato, garlic, ginger, merely basic vegetables for a routine-like or traditional "handi".
For the poor commoner latest per kg cost of tempting but scaring vegetables are continue to lie unabated as follows:
Onion (pyaz) Rs 50, potato (aaloo) Rs 50, ginger (adrak) Rs 100, garlic (lehsan) Rs 80, tomato (timater) Rs 40 and forgetting luxuries as lady finger (bhindi) Rs 80, cauliflower (gobi) Rs 60, bottle gourd (loki) Rs 50, peas (matar) Rs 300, brinjal (baingun) Rs 160! Lemons sky-rocket to Rs 450 per kg and green chilies sell at Rs 80 per kg. Earlier, these were sold at Rs 150-180 per kg. A bag each of coriander and mint is Rs 20 each. cucumber (kheera) is Rs 100 per kg, green chilies (hari mirch) is Rs 300 per kg, green pepper (shimla mirch) is Rs 280 per kg, etc.
Sky is the limit when it comes to the soaring prices. But the affordability factor crashes to down in the dumps even for basic needs what to talk of unlimited wants. Here well-meaning and well-intentioned may be so many philanthropic measures. But commoners need above average thinking and planning to cope with inflation. Given peanuts of income or handful of savings or being philanthropic recipients, our households truly need to economize, conserve and save as much as possible.
Such practical examples of caring in conserving have to be sincerely practiced even if these steps sound needless if not ridiculous as keeping a close watch on dripping cooking oil from its pouch or leaking sugar from a torn shopper or wasting extra rotis, handis or pakoras and for that matter, being careful or vigilant in handling water taps, sanitary items, electrical appliances and electronic objects to avoid undue expenditure on plumbers, electricians, masons and alike.
A civil family iftari may be few dates available loose as needed or in reasonable packs of Rs 50-200 followed by sherbet made from lemons with sugar as suitable and creatively hale, hearty and affordable dinner. The point is that an extravagant iftari - chat, dahi bare, aaaloo bare, chole, pakoray, samosay is cost-incurring and dinner spoiling. If taste buds are ticking anda, kabab, puri, paratha, lassi and alike may be deferred to a healthy sehri.
It has to be borne in mind that over-eating or indulgence in rich and greasy food not only takes a toll on one's digestive system but may lead to a heavy expenditure on medical consultancy, medicines and treatment in times of price-hike. As such, moderation is the key to a blissful and cheerful Ramazan whether it is a lock-down or a state of joblessness amid fast depleting funds or finances and being monetary beneficiaries of well-meaning and well-intentioned sources.
However, the long and strong lasting blessings and benefits of Ramazan lie in innovatively and inspiringly endeavoring, exploring and eulogizing the spirit of such self-confidence, self-actualization and self-reliance that make our world go round and which the commoners of Pakistan, originally the land of purity, promise and potential, can best address whether it is the vagary of rampant inflation or the tragedy of corona lockdown.
(The writer contributes on national and international affairs) [email protected]
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